A Catholic Missiological and Ecumenical Appreciation ofTogether towards Life

Abstract

Abstract The new statement Together towards Life does not so much propose new teachings about as point out pertinent reminders and reconfirmations of some of our beliefs and convictions about God's (missio Dei) in and for the world. The author suggests that among the many challenges expressed in the statement, three merit special attention: (1) the proposal to shift the concept from to the margins to from the margins; (2) the necessity to underline the intrinsic link between humanity and creation; and (3) the temptation to consider as at the service of the interests and aggrandizement of individual churches instead of the contrary. He concludes that this statement is an invitation to walk together towards for the benefit of both humanity and the whole of God's creation, and that the urgent challenge is to forge concrete means to make this dream a reality, even in the face of paying the cost of discipleship. ********** I have read Together towards Life: Mission and in Changing Landscapes (TTL) a number of times and each time I have found new words and phrases to underline because of their importance as a source of inspiration and challenge for me as an individual and for my Catholic Church in general. My text is now almost entirely underlined and highlighted. Many words and phrases are underlined because they are reminders and reconfirmations of our beliefs and convictions found in the Bible and in a number of our church documents. When I was asked to prepare these few reflections, limiting myself to the missiological and ecumenical perspectives of the statement, I reread the text at least three more times. Doing so, my thoughts started roaming far away, to the different parts of the world (Africa, Europe, India, Philippines, and Americas) where my brothers are in mission, I also thought of our collaborators in the local churches in these places. Some of these (my brothers and local church members) are convinced of promoting ecumenical and interfaith encounter and dialogue and are trying to do something to make it a retry. Others see no value in it--for them only Evangelism matters. Then I thought of those who are working with the marginalized but who feel powerless to confront the centres of power. All these in their respective places make up the local congregations who, according to this new statement, are the frontiers and primary agents of mission (TTL, [section] 73). With all this in mind, the small voice whispered to me saying, Seek not to beautify the statement. It is already very good, very beautiful! Rather, seek to make it a practical pastoral document that will help local congregations, empowering them to become real 'frontiers and primary agents of mission' whose key objective, well spelled out in the same document, is that all Creation (oikoumene), i.e. humanity and the whole of Creation, have life to the fullness. (TTL, [section] 4) So, what I will do in these few paragraphs is simply mention some of the percent reminders and reconfirmations that I have, as a Catholic and a coordinator of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation and Encounter and Dialogue in my religious family of the Missionaries of Africa, found in this new statement. Key reminders and reconfirmations From the side of the Catholic Church, this new statement carries many vital reminders and reconfirmations about our core beliefs and convictions on (1) and ecumenical dialogue. Reference could be made to such documents as Vatican II, whose Golden Jubilee we are presently celebrating, the different continental papal post-synodal exhortations, (2) proposals from the synod on the new evangelization, reflections on the Year of Faith, just to mention a few. It is within the contexts of such documents and others that this statement will be received and read by Catholics in different parts of the world. …